Draining rack for oil cans



Dec. 27, 1955 R. R. HANKINS 2,728,488

DRAINING RACK FOR OIL CANS Filed Feb. 1. 1954 Rex R. Han/(ins 11v VENTOR.

P BY 1 2,728,488 DRAINING RACK FOR OIL CANS Rex R. Hankins, Alexandria, Minn. Application February 1, 1954, Serial No. 407,505 1 Claim. (Cl. 222-112) This invention relates to a lubricating oil salvaging device, and more particularly a device for salvaging the drippings of oil cans which are used in packaging lubricating oils for use in automotive vehicles, and is an improvement over the device disclosed in Patent No. 2,575,809.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide means for insuring that all of the oil left in oil cans can be salvaged when the oil cans are positioned on the draining rack.

The construction of this invention features means for crimping the peripheral edge and sides of an oil can so as to insure that an unobstructed path will be provided for the drippings of an oil can to thereby insure substantially complete salvage.

Still further objects of this invention reside in the provision of a draining rack for oil cans which is strong and durable, in which a plurality of cans may be supported in an inclined position so that the oil which readily adheres to the walls of the cans may drain therefrom and be eventually directed into a suitable receptacle, which may be secured to any suitable supporting structure in a simple and convenient manner, and which is relatively easy and inexpensive to manufacture and install.

These, together with the various ancillary objects and features of the invention which will become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by this draining rack for oil cans, a preferred embodiment of which is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, by way of example only, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the draining rack for oil cans comprising the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional detailed view of the rack and the means for crimping the oil cans;

Figure 3 is a sectional detail view as taken along the plane of line 33 in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of an oil can after it has been punctured in the conventional manner for the removal of oil from the can by means of a conventional funnel; and

Figure 5 is a partial perspective view of a portion of the oil can after it has been emplaced on the draining rack.

With continuing reference to the accompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, reference numeral generally designates the draining rack for oil cans comprising the present invention which is adapted to be secured to a suitable supporting structure such as the wall 12. The draining rack for the oil cans comprises a discharge tube 14 having a flattened upper portion 16 which extends angularly with respect to the drain tube 14 and through which a suitable fastener 18 is adapted to extend for attaching the drain tube 14 directly to the wall 12.

Embracing the discharge tube 14 is a bracket 20 which is designed to be secured by suitable fasteners as at 22 to the wall 12 and which holds the wall portions of the discharge tube 14 in spaced relationship relative to the wall 12 so as to hold the discharge tube 14 in a predetermined angular inclination. Below the discharge end of the discharge tube 14 is a suitable container 24 into which the drippings are gathered.

Welded to the discharge tube 14 are a series of substantially V-shaped troughs 26 forming oil can supporting and draining means. The troughs 26 are in alignment with holes or apertures 28 formed in the discharge tube 14 so that drippings gathered on the troughs 26 are di- States Patent rected into the discharge tube 14 through the apertures 28.

Secured to the discharge tube 14 and extending completely therethrough are pointed rods 30 which overlie the troughs 26. The rods 30 are provided with headed portions 32 opposed to the points 34. The rods 30 extend all the way through the discharge tube 14 in order to provide a more rigid support for the rods 30. The head portion 32 may be welded to the discharge tube 14. A substantially trapezoidal shaped crimping key 36 depends from each of the rods 30. Each of the crimping keys 36 has an inwardly and downwardly inclined cam surface 38 as well as a forwardly and downwardly extending cam surface 40. The crimping keys 36 extend downwardly toward the troughs 26 below the periphery of any cylindrical object which is of suflicient radius so as to be capable of being supported by the upper edge portions as at 42 of the troughs 26.

In operation, an oil can such as is indicated at 44 having been punctured as at 46 with a conventional drain funnel used for draining the contents of the oil can 44 into the crank case of a motor, is positioned on the rack 10. The pointed end of the rod 34 engages the upper edge 48 of the puncture 46. Then, as can be best seen in Figure 5, the crimping key 36 causes a substantially V-shaped crimp 50 to be formed in the peripheral edge and side of the can 44, the can being cut and crimped first by the cam edge 38 of the key 36.

Inasmuch as the trough 26 and the rods 30 lie perpendicular to the angularly disposed discharge tube 14, the contents of the cans 44 will be drained first into the crimped portions 50 of the cans and thence through the apertures 28 downwardly into the container 24.

Since from the foregoing the construction and advantages of this draining rack for oil cans can be readily understood, further description is believed to be unnecessary.

However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claim.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A lubricating oil salvaging device comprising a discharge tube, a supporting structure, brackets rigidly securing said discharge tube to said supporting structure at an inclined angle, and oil can supporting and draining means secured to and extending perpendicular to said discharge tube, said means including a plurality of oil can supporting troughs secured to said discharge tube, said discharge tube having apertures therein in alignment with said troughs, pointed guide rods secured to said discharge tube above said troughs, and crimping keys rigidly attached to said rods and extending downwardly toward said troughs, said guide rods extending completely through said discharge tube for more rigid support of said guide rods, said guide rods having headed portions attached to said discharge tube on the opposite side of said discharge tube from said crimping keys, said troughs being of substantially V-shape having angularly upwardly extending portions, said crimping keys extending downwardly past the outer periphery of any cylindrical object adapted to be supported by the upper edges of said upwardly extending portions of said trough.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,071,944 Hoffman Feb. 23, 1937 2,250,910 Hiett July 29, 1941 2,575,809 Hankins Nov. 20, 1951 2,587,779 Smith Mar. 4, 1952 2,643,030 Lyon June 23, 1953 

